The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-10
TRAINING TaE TONES.
THE RESULT OF AN INNOCENT
VOCAL TEACHERS EFFORTS.
Effect on disappearing People Of
Mysterious Sounds from au
Upper Story.
"Wbat the dickens is that ~


The speaker was middle aged gen.
tleman, of aristocratic bearing and
modest demeanor, and he stood gsz.
ing toward an upper story window
from which emanated sounds calcu-
lated to raise the hair on q PERSONS
head unfamiliar with their origin. As
he stood and gazed in the direction
from which the noise came, his face
assumed an ashen hue and his limbs
quaked as if afflicted with palsy.
The sounds which rlveted him to
the spot began in low, mournful-like
tones, and gradually took on increased
yolun ne until they broke into a pierre
ing shrek, as II coming from human
bsing undergoing the tortures of
slow and barbsrous death. After a
short interval the same pitch that
marked the close OF the preceding
cadenzs began, and, taking in every
detail of the chromstic scale, gradu-
ally died away in a low, palntive
wall.
The gentleman in quest ion was soon
Joined by another, and the two dis
cussed the origin of the mysterious
noise from every point of view, the
& st speaker taking the position that
medical students were getting in their
work and msrveling that such afro.
cious outrsQes could be perpetrated in
the heart of great city like Memphis
and in broad daylight.
The second, in tone OF horror that
indicated his words came only from
the lips, interposed that such could
not be the case, and it was probably
only dentist laying hold OF stub
born tooth. At this point another in
stallment Of the soul stirring, blood
curdling means started up, and the
two, thrusting their fingers into their
ears, hurried away.
Then came a middle aged lady,
wearing eyeglasses. Just as she
reached the spot recently quilted by
the startled gent emen, the same
weird sounds, beginning on the top
most and forte pitch, pierced her ear.
The effect was go electrical that she
came to a studded halt, her eyeglasses
fell to the pavement, and for mo-
ment she stood motionless. Down
went the disturbing sounds from
above, and away fed the lady, in her
haste forgetting the glasses. As she
departed an expression of horror, in a
tone too low to be caught, escaped her
lips.
Next came tripping along a school
girl, with books under her arm, and
utterly unmindtul OF the startling ex-
periences OF those who had preceded
her. She caught the sound, also her
breath, and the pavement received
her books. Gathering them up in q
haste that resulted dieastrously to the
leaves within, and giving vent to her
fright in school girl lingo, she faded
from view 10 twiukling.
An aged colored man, with the ear
marks of rural simplicity on his every
feature, followed q few minutes later
1t was cruel, but the crowd of fun
lovers in a store hard by concentrated
their efforts on him. He was per.
ceived in the distance, and those in
waiting knew the climax was rapidly
approaching. The closing exercises
were in progress in the upper story
and the pro lessor in charge was apply
ing the finishing touches to his pu'
pills. 1t embraced resume O
the entire lesson, the pianissimo and
prolonged as-h, sseaseending will
increase d crescendo until the upper A
had been reached, aud then hating t
secure fresh hold started on tn,
downward course. The victim hearC
it; stopped a moment to reassure him
self. "De Lawd save meW he ex
claimed, "Nsncy tol' me to keep Quite
the way O. dem stugents, and here
done run right into 'em But they
don't ketch dis chicken, il I know
It'll
And away he scampered, leaving
the knot OF spectators in the stof,
holding their sides to keep from ex
plodiug
The innocent cause OF the commo
ton was a vocal teacher training hi
pupils.